Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

"He's an artist working in film who understands what cinema is about," he said.

"And you have that wonderful central performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o. I hadn't seen her before and you watch that performance in 12 Years a Slave and it's so central.